But with such limited information, the mystery hardware could turn out to be anything: A new Surface Book, a refresh to the Surface Studio PC, or even, possibly, the long-rumoured Surface Phone.

It’s odd to think that Microsoft would launch another new device so soon: just a few days ago, on May 2nd, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Laptop, a $US999 competitor to the Apple MacBook. And yet, it’s shaping up that way.

Finally, and this part is just a guess, but the time would be right for Microsoft to refresh the original, non-Pro Surface tablet. The Surface 3, the current model, is exactly two years old today. And with the introduction of Windows 10 S, a lightweight new version of the operating system designed to eke more performance out of less-robust hardware, a new Surface to show it off on the tablet form factor could just make sense.

NOW WATCH: Tech Insider videos

Want to read a more in-depth view on the trends influencing Australian business and the global economy? BI / Research is designed to help executives and industry leaders understand the major challenges and opportunities for industry, technology, strategy and the economy in the future. Sign up for free at research.businessinsider.com.au.